Rotary engine.



PATE'NTBD FEB. 3, 1903.

G. W/Woon. ROTARY ENGINE. A PPPP our NNNNNNNN ov. 111111 1.

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No. 719,969.` L K PATENTED FE11S, 190s.'

G. W. woon.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1B. 1901.

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y JNVENTOR. ea. /JI/ //Md ATTORNEK l PATENTED FEB. 3, 1-903. G'. W.Woon. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 1B, 1901.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE YV. WOOD, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 719,969, dated February3, 1903.

Application filed November 18,1901. Serial No. 82,775. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. WOOD, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State ofColorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRotary-Engines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accom panying drawings, and to the figures of referencemarked thereon, which form a partof this specilication.

My invention relates to improvements in rotary engines; and it consistsof the features, arrangements, and combinations hereinafter describedand claimed, all of which will be fully understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an end elevation of my improved engine, thesmaller concentric shaft being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a sectiontaken on the line y y, Fig. 4, viewed in the direction of the arrow.Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line z z', Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is asection taken on the line a: Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a top view of thevalvechest with the cap-plateremoved. Fig. 6 is a plan View of the valveor a view taken in the direction of the arrow in Figs.l 1 and 3, thecap-plate of the valve-chest being removed. Fig. 7 is a section taken onthe line s s, Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is an end view of the valve or a view takenin the direction of the arrow in Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a section taken onthe line w w, Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a section taken on the linepp, Fig. 9.Figs. 11 and l2 are detail views of the paddles and their respectiveshafts shown on a smaller scale.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate a cylinder to which are applied heads 6,having base portions Ga, arranged to give the cylinder a stable supportin the proper position. A hollow shaft 7 is passed through the axialcenter of the cylinder, engaging `central, registering openings formedin the heads 6, 4which vare provided with suitable stufling-boxes. Asshown in the drawings, the heads are provided with cavities which arefilled with Babbitt metal 8, against which are screwed the glands 9,making fluid-tight joints around the hollow shaft. Through thelongitudinal opening of this shaft is passed ashaft 12, the two shaftsbeing concentrically arranged. The shafts 7 and 12 are arranged to moveindependently of each other. Uprights 10, forming bearings for theshafts, are located at the respective extremities of the machine. Theshaft 7 is journaled in the cylinder-heads and in one of these bearings.The shaft 7 is divided within the cylinder to make room for` a collar13, belonging to a plate or paddle 15, which extends axially from theshaft 12 and ts the cylinder nicely, as shown in Fig. 4. Another similarplate or paddle (designated 14) is located within the cylinder andconnects the two parts of the hollow shaft 7. The extremity of eachshaft farther to the right in Fig. 4 is provided with a ratchetcollar,that on shaft 7 being designated 7, while that on the shaft 12 isdesignated 12a. Mounted on the ratchet extremity of the shaft 12 is apulley 16, which is provided with a central circular cavity in which arelocated spring-held dogs 17, the arrangement being such that when theshaft 12 is rotated in the direction. indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2its ratchet will engage the dogs and rotate the pulley. The innersurface of this pulley (see Fig. 4) is provided with a circular flangeor collar 12C, on which are located spring-held dogs 1S. This collarsurrounds the ratchet 7"L and the ratchet is arranged to engage the saiddogs and rotate the pulley 16 when the shaft 7 is traveling in thedirection indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2.

It is evident from the construction described, referring especially toFigs. 2 and 4,

that either shaft may rotate the pulley whileV the other shaft remainsstationary. Hence if either shaft is rotated the pulley will beoperated.

The shafts 7 and 12 are respectively providedwith weights 19 and 20,located outside of the cylinder and oppositely arranged from the paddles14 and 15. These weights are of the same gravity and serve tocounterbalance the paddles.

The cylinder is provided with an exhaustport 21 and two inlet-ports 22and 23. Out- IOO side of the inlet-ports is located a valve-chest 24,closed at the top by a cap 25. Within this valve-chest is located aslide-valve 26, provided with a stem 27, passing through a stuing-box28, mounted on one extremity of the valve-chest. The opposite extremityof the valve-chest is open to communicate with a conduit 29 fordelivering the necessary Iiuid (air or steam) to the cylinder. The outerextremity of the valve-stem is connected with two rods 30, extendingoutwardly/therefrom in opposite directions. Each of these rods isconnected with a lever 32, fulcrumed, as shown at 34, on a projection33, mounted on the adjacent cylinderhead. The free extremity of eachlever is provided with an antifrictional roller 35 and adapted to engagea cam-disk 36. One cam-disk 36 is made fast to the shaft 7 and the otherto the shaft 12. Each disk is provided with a reduced part 36, at eachextremity of which is located an abrupt shoulder or odset 36C. When theinner extremity of the lever is in engagement with the part 36L of thedisk, the valve 26 is held open by the action of a spring 37; but assoon as this extremity of the lever is forced outwardly by the shoulder36 to engagement with the larger part 36d of the cam-disk the outerextremity of the lever is forced inwardly sufficiently to close thevalve.

Assuming that the parts arein the relative position shown in Figs. 1 and3, the lower extremity of eac-h lever 32 has just left the larger partof the cam and passed to engagement with its smaller part, allowing thevalve 26 to open through the action of the spring 37. The paddles 14 and15 are then in the relative position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 andby dotted lines in Fig. l-that is to say, the paddle 14 has passed theexhaust-port and continued to move by momentum sufficiently to force thepaddle 15 to pass the outlet-port 23. The counterweight 2O of the paddle14 has in this event moved to engagement with the holding extremity of aspringactuated dog 38, which locks the paddle 14 against rearwardmovement or against movement in the direction opposite that indicated bythe arrow'in Figs. l and 3. Live steam entering the cylinder by way ofthe ports 22 and 23 acts on the paddle 15, driving the latter forwarduntil it passes the exhaust-port 21 and moves the paddle 14 past theport 23. The paddle 15 will then cease to move forward and be held byanother dog 38, acting on the counterweight 19, against backwardmovement. The paddle 14 will then be actuated in the same manner, thepaddles being alternately operated in the cylinder, as will be readilyunderstood. The movement of the paddles actuates the shafts 7 and 12,imparting a continuous revolution to the pulley 16, from which power maybe transmitted to the apparatus to be operated.

The valve 26 is perfectly balanced. It is provided with a cavity 26 infront or facing the inlet-opening of the valve-chest. This front openingcommunicates with a port or passage 26C, extending through the valvefrom top to bottom and arranged to register with the inlet-port 22 ofthe cylinder when the valve is open. This valve is provided with twoports 26d, extending rearwardly from the port 26C, through which thefluid passes to the rear of the valve, making the pressure equal on bothsides, whereby the valve is perfectly balanced, requiring very littlepower for its operation. inlet-ports only half the movement of the valveis required to open and close the port that would be necessary if asingle inlet-port of double the wid th or of the same capacity as thetwo ports were employed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combinationwith a cylinder provided with'suitable inlet and exhaust ports, of twoconcentrically-arranged shafts passing through the cylinder, a paddleconnected with each shaft and extending radially therefrom, the twopaddles being arranged to operate alternately, the position of rest ofthe idle paddle being between the inlet and exhaust ports, the innerextremity of the active paddle adjacent the shaft, after its outerextremity passes the exhaust-port, engaging the inner extremity of theidle paddle and moving the latter past the inlet-port, the distancebetween the position of rest and the exhaust-port being sufficient toallow the active paddle to pass the exhaust-port before engaging theidlepaddle, the arrangement being such that the momentum of the activepaddle as it approaches the position of rest, moves the idle paddle fromsaid position to a position forward of the inlet-port in the directionof the travel.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination with a cylinder, of twoconcentrically-arranged shafts passing therethrough, the cylinder beingprovided with suitable inlet and exhaust ports, a paddle attached to`each shaft, and located Within the cylinder, the paddles being arrangedto operate alternately and cooperate, substantially as described,counterweights for the paddles, said weights being attached to theirrespect-ive shafts outside of the cylinder, a cam mounted on each shaftand outside of the cylinder, a valve for controlling the inlet-port, anda suitable connection between the valve and each cam, whereby the valveis operated at properly-timed intervals, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a cylinder provided with suitable inlet andexhaust ports, of two concentrically-arranged shafts passing axiallytherethrough, a paddle extending radially from each shaft, the twopaddles being arranged to operate alternately, the position of rest ofthe idle paddle being between the inlet and the exhaust ports, means forlocking the paddle against rearward movement, a cam mounted on eachshaft outside of the cylinder, a valve for controlling the inlet- Byreason of having two IOO IIO

port, and a suitable connection between the valve and each cam, wherebythe valve is operated at properly-timed intervals, substantially asdescribed.

4. The combination with a cylinder provided with suitable inlet andexhaust ports, of two concentrically-arranged shafts passing through thecylinder, a paddlerextending radially from each shaft, the two paddlesbeing arranged to operate alternately, the position of rest of the idlepaddle being between the inlet and the exhaust ports, a counterweightfor each paddle connected with the respective shafts outside of thecylinder, and a dog adapted to engage the counterweight of the idlepaddle and lock the latter against rearward movement.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination with a cylinder, having suitableinlet and exhaust ports, of two concentric shafts passed axially throughthe cylinder, a paddle attached to each shaft, the two paddles beingarranged to operate alternately and operate their respective shafts inthe saine direction, a cam mounted on each shaft outside of thecylinder, a valve for controlling the inlet-port, and a suitableconnection between the 'valve and each cam, wherebythe valve is operatedat properly-timed intervals, substantially as described.

6. In a rotary engine, the combination with a cylinder having suitableinlet and exhaust ports, and two concentric shafts passed axiallythrough the cylinder, the two paddles being arranged to operatealternately and actuate their respective shafts, a cam mounted on eachshaft outside of the cylinder which is provided with a valve-chest, avalvev lo-` cated in said chest and provided with a projecting stem, andtwo levers connected with the Valve and arranged to be respectively andalternately operated by the cams of the shafts.

7. In a rotary engine, the combination with a cylinder having suitableinlet and exhaust ports, of two concentric shafts passed axially throughthe cylinder, a paddle attached to each shaft, the two paddles beingarranged to operate alternately and actnate their respective shafts, acam mounted on each shaft ontside of the cylinder, which is providedwith a valve-chest, a balanced valve located within the valve-chest,means for normally holding the Valve open, and a suitable connectionbetween the valve and the cams of the respective shafts, whereby thevalve is closed at properly-timed intervals.

8. In a rotary engine, the combination with a cylinder, of twoconcentric shafts passing therethrough' axially, a paddle attached toeach shaft, the two paddles being arranged to be alternately actuated,whereby the shafts are `alternately active and idle, a wheel fortransmitting motion from the shafts, each shaft havingr a circularratchet fast thereon, and two sets of dogs annularly arranged withreference to the ratchets of the respective shafts, and engaging saidratchets, whereby the rotation of either shaft imparts motion tothewheel in a given ldirection while the other shaft remains idle,substantially as described. v

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. WOOD.

Witnesses:

DENA NELSON, A. J. OBRIEN.

